We had the pleasure of briefly
meeting with Z+F USA just the other week. As luck would have it, their offices
are located just south of Pittsburgh, a short drive from our location in the
East End. It was a pleasure to hear an in-depth description of the Z+F line of
laser scanners and gain insight into the ethos of the company creating them.
We’re excited to be incorporating their products and knowledge into our
existing line of laser scanning solutions, as it focuses on a different
elements and applications of reality capture.

A Z+F laser scanner is a unique and
powerful piece of technology, a marriage of pragmatism and futuristic thinking
that produce a finely tuned machine. What struck me was that the impressive hardware
features, such as the incredible precision (≤1mm) of the instruments, were
mentioned only in passing – the primary focus of the discussion was about
how a Z+F Laser Scanner can be used.

The Imager 5006EX perhaps maybe the
one of the better examples of Z+F ingenuity. Introduced in 2009(!) as the first
“explosion proof” laser scanner, the 5006EX is ATEX certified, meaning it can
be safely operated in potentially volatile or explosive environments. That
being said, the rugged construction of the device itself seem to suggest that
if indeed an explosion was to occur, the 5006EX would be the sole survivor.

The other outlier in the Z+F lineup
would be the Imager 5010C. Aside from features such as the high resolution
color display and an intelligent and responsive user interface, the actual
imaging technology is impressive in its own right. Along with the standard of
precision one comes to expect with a Z+F scanner, the HDR I-Cam provides
shockingly beautiful imagery to match it. This latest iteration of the Imager
family points toward the awesome potential laser scanning has in helping
document and shape our environments.

But perhaps my favorite feature
across the spectrum of Z+F products is the wonderfully pragmatic black handle
you will find on the top of each device, enabling you to safely and efficiently
transport the small box below that costs roughly as much as a small house. I
think it is this simple consideration for ergonomics and user experience that,
combined with their technological excellence, makes for a top-of-the-line 3D
laser scanner.